Leg cuffs used by police and law enforcement officers worldwide for prisoner restraint are basically standardized in construction and operation. Typically, the leg cuffs comprise a pair of leglets either hingedly connected or, more frequently, joined together by a short link chain. Each leglet has a single strand or ratchet bar which automatically engages the teeth in a double strand and is thus pivotal or rotatable through the double strand in only one direction. Once applied to the legs of a prisoner, the ratchet bar can be released or disengaged only with a key insertable into a keyhole or first lock on the leglet.
While on the legs of a prisoner, the ratchet bar is still squeezable or rotatable inwardly through the double strand to make the encircling circumference progressively smaller. This capability could of course cause injury to the prisoner. To prevent such injury, standard leg cuffs are provided with a second lock for fixing the leglet circumference preset by the officer on the prisoner's leg. The second lock typically comprises a recessed rod within a small hole that can be actuated by a projection or pin on the key carried by the officer. Use of the key to open the first lock can also open or disengage the second lock so that the leg cuffs are ready for further use.
Use of the leg cuffs with chain-connected leglets can frequently place arresting officers in dangerous and even life threatening situations. Since the connection between the leglets is flexible and rotatable, the manacled prisoner is able to manipulate his legs with a large degree of freedom. Picking of the locks is a possibility. Also, when applying the leg cuffs, the officer is standing close to the prisoner and is in physical jeopardy if the prisoner is violent or struggling. If the leg cuffs are applied to only one leg at a time, the physical danger is in no way reduced because the rotatable and pivotal connection between the two leglets affords the officer scant leverage even over the leg that is manacled.
Efforts have been made to improve the safety aspects of conventional handcuffs. Thus, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,665 shows a shield that was passed over the handcuff chain to cover the key openings and maintain the chain in a taut condition. U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,977 shows a hinged cover assembly that was applied over the wristlets and connecting chain to rigidify the connection between the prisoner's wrists and also encase the key openings. Both of the identified prior structures were characterized by a disadvantageous feature in that they made no provision for actuation of the second or double lock. The handcuffs thus needed first to be applied to the prisoner's wrists and the second lock then actuated to fix the setting of the wristlets. Only after this dangerous operation was completed was the shield or cover applied to the handcuffs. The officer thus was subjected to the kinds of dangers described above during the handcuffing operation. Furthermore, none of these prior efforts function with leg cuffs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,257 discloses a safety shield for double-lock handcuffs, which is a lockable box that encompasses the mechanisms of both bracelets, and the connecting chain. This is unsuitable for use to secure the lock mechanisms of leg cuffs, even if one were employed on each leglet, because each box would be free to slide along the chain away from the leglet, exposing the mechanism.
There thus exists a need for further improving the safety aspects of leg cuff use and, particularly the need exists for a means to provide greater protection for the arresting officer during the initial leg cuffing operation as well as subsequent thereto.